An air carrier crew requested and thought they had received clearance to descend to FL310 so they read it back but were questioned by the ARTCC radar controller as they passed through FL330.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	524280
Time
Date	200109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme.artcc
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 24 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 30 flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 580
ASRS Report	524280
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On ZMP at FL390. FL390 was bumpy so requested FL310. Cleared to descend to FL350. During descent requested on down to FL310 for better ride. Believe we were cleared to FL310 and first officer read back cleared to FL310. Passing approximately FL330 center told us we were only cleared to FL350. Nothing on TCASII. We went to FL310 and were given a frequency change. I went back to previous frequency and controller said, don't worry, no conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW REQUESTED AND THOUGHT THEY HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO FL310 SO THEY READ IT BACK BUT WERE QUESTIONED BY THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR AS THEY PASSED THROUGH FL330.

Narrative: ON ZMP AT FL390. FL390 WAS BUMPY SO REQUESTED FL310. CLRED TO DSND TO FL350. DURING DSCNT REQUESTED ON DOWN TO FL310 FOR BETTER RIDE. BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED TO FL310 AND FO READ BACK CLRED TO FL310. PASSING APPROX FL330 CTR TOLD US WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL350. NOTHING ON TCASII. WE WENT TO FL310 AND WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. I WENT BACK TO PREVIOUS FREQ AND CTLR SAID, DON'T WORRY, NO CONFLICT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.